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Who thought up all those mascot names?

Submitted by fbgstandard01 on Wed, 06/11/2014 - 4:08pm

By Danny Hirt —

Something very cool recently happened in our community.

As most of you know, the Fredericksburg High School mascot — the Battlin’ Billie — was named the best mascot throughout the Lone Star State in the Mascot Madness Tournament conducted by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine.

Out of a field of 32 schools, FHS topped the likes of the Frost Polar Bears, the Mason Punchers and, my second favorite, the Hutto Hippos.

But with such a unique name as the Battlin’ Billies, in recognition of the many goats that have populated the Hill Country for many decades, it might be interesting to take a look at other weird-sounding mascots from different parts of the country.

For example, there’s another FHS, this one found in the state of Indiana. The animal that represents the virtues and values of Frankfort High School is the dachshund, or, to be more precise, the Hot Dog.

I wonder if any of the FHS Hot Dogs’ sports teams have ever relished a victory, found themselves in a pickle, or played their buns off. And, has a guy by the name of Oscar Meyer ever gone to school there?

The questions are endless.

Another school in the Hoosier State, this one found in Speedway, employs the Spark Plug as its mascot. In a world filled with Eagles, Pirates, Longhorns and Cardinals, it’s sometimes hard to deal with an inanimate representative like a part of a car’s engine.

While this mascot might induce a “What were they thinking?” reaction from most people, it’s easier to understand its origin when you realize that this school is only a fume-breathing distance from the race track that’s host to the annual running of the Indianapolis 500.

(I wonder what the driver’s education classes are like at Speedway High School. Are they anything like the fast times at Ridgemont High?)

I found out about a high school in Little Rock, Arkansas that was able to take a good-hearted and comical look at itself.

The leopard is the mascot for the Arkansas School for the Deaf. At first, that might cause a yawn and a “so what?” reaction; but just say the name altogether — Arkansas School for the Deaf Leopards. Now, does that make you think of an English Heavy Metal band from the 1980s?

For more on this story, read this week’s print and online editions of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post. If you are a print subscriber, your full online subscription is free. All you need to do is call 830-997-2155 to get a password. If you are not a subscriber, call 997-2155 or click on the ‘Subscribe’ button on the left side of the home page and sign up today!